Glossy, red, and sweet, candied apples, also known as jelly apples, were invented in New Jersey in 1908, when William Kolb, a candy maker from Newark, made a syrup with melted sugar, red coloring agent, and cinnamon flavoring. He dipped some apples into the syrup and placed them on his shop's window display.

As the treats were priced at a nickel a piece, they spread to the Jersey Shore and were soon adopted by traveling circuses and numerous candy shops throughout the country. The best candied apples should pair the sweetness of their thin and shiny coating with a tart and crisp varieties of apples such as Gala, Granny Smith or McIntosh.

Traditionally speared on wooden sticks, the apples are synonymous with Halloween in the United States, but they have also spread internationally - in China, where candied apples are a popular street food sold by bicycle vendors, and in England, where they are a traditional snack consumed on Guy Fawkes Day.

Simple, nutritious, and convenient, the only downside of this delicious dessert is getting the sticky coating off your face.